Awake in a Dream
by Dae'kyra
Summary: While in Dol Amroth, Éomer encounters a vision. Is it fantasy or reality?
1. Default Chapter

**Author's Name:** Dae'kyra

**Story Title:** Awake in a Dream

**Characters/Pairs:** Éomer/Lothíriel

**Rating:** PG

**Disclaimer:** This is _FanFiction. _I obviously own nothing...except maybe the idea for the story. The song _Awake in a Dream_ belongs to Kalan Porter.

**Summary:** While in Dol Amroth, Éomer encounters a vision. Is it fantasy or reality? One-shot.

**Awake in a Dream**

_I never thought,_

_That one day you'd be come a part of my life_

_Still you were always with me_

_When I lay my head down at night_

_Could you really be here with me?_

_Has my wish come true tonight?_

_'Cause now, now it seems_

_I'm wide awake in this dream_

_And I'll do, I'll do anything_

_To stay here forever_

_And if this is a dream_

_I'm not going to wake up_

_But if I'm awake I won't close my eyes again_

Pale moonlight shone through the open window. He could hear the waves crashing against the rocks far below. The salt sea air filled his lungs, as he took a deep breath.

Éomer stared out at the sea stretching out before him. It was a change from the wind-swept plains and tall mountains that he was used to. He sighed as he thought of his home. The people, the horses, the warm sun-kissed grasses, and the clean fresh air...Yes, Dol Amroth was quite different from Edoras.

Politics and alliances had brought Rohan's king to the sea-side city. He had befriended Prince Imrahil while they fought together. They had even saved each other's lives a few times. Once Éomer had buried his uncle and been crowned king of Rohan, Imrahil had called him to Dol Amroth to talk about an alliance between their families. It had been a joyful reunion.

Éomer saw something move out of the corner of his eye. He turned to look down the corridor and saw the flutter of a cloak as the figure disappeared around the corner. Curious and a bit suspicious, Éomer followed the shadowy figure. Leading him down numerous halls and a few staircases, the figure stopped in front of a heavy wooden door. Glancing furtively around, the shadow person pushed hard on the door and slipped into the room. Éomer hid in the shadows, waiting. Then he also, slowly pushed the door open and slid into the dark room.

Hiding in the shadows, he saw that the room was in fact, the palace kitchen. Huge pots hung over the waiting fireplaces. Quickly turning his head, he saw the trailing end of the cloaked person slipping out a side servant's door. He followed and found himself outside. He was standing on the wet dewy grass with the moon shining all around him. As the light breeze ruffled his hair, Éomer looked down the small slope and saw a rough pathway leading to a small borderline of trees. Coming to the trees, Éomer found that just beyond he could see the great stretch of glistening white sand. Beyond that he saw the moonlit sea stretching past the horizon. He was awed by the greatness of it and almost didn't see the reason for he was here. Sliding behind one of the trees near the beach, he watched as the shadowed figure moved down the beach. Stopping almost in front of Éomer, the figure reached up and pulled the hood back.

Éomer's eyes went wide. The figure turned slightly and the moonlight fell on her face. For now Éomer saw that it was a woman he had been following. Her skin was deeply tanned and her hair fell down her shoulders in an ebony cascade of curls. She reached up and brushed a curl away from her face and Éomer stared at her eyes. Deep emerald and flecked with gold, her eyes shone with inner light. To Éomer it seemed that even the starlit silver of Arwen Undómiel couldn't compare. Like jewels they looked, but none Éomer had ever seen. He decided right then that the vision before him must be a fae or wood spirit.

The fae undid the clasp holding her cloak. It dropped softly to the sand. Éomer's eyes widened further as he saw that she was only wearing a thin, white shift. With the light shining through, quite a bit was visible. The spirit moved to the water's edge and to Éomer's surprise kept walking. The waves pushed against her legs, but she continued until she was waist deep. Then suddenly she was gone. Éomer strained to see and cursed the moment the moon went behind a cloud.

Waiting for the cloud to pass, Éomer chewed on his lip. Finally the moon passed through and filtered down to the dark waters. Éomer saw that the spirit had swum out to a large rock sticking out of the water. She climbed up and stood, looking out to the horizon. Éomer flushed a little when he saw that her wet dress was clinging quite tightly to her slender body. Not much was hidden.

He watched as she raised her arms to touch above her head, and leapt off the rock into a graceful swan dive. She cut into the water with hardly a splash. Éomer immediately changed his mind about her. This was no wood spirit. She had to be a sea nymph.

The moon shone down and the stars twinkled above and Éomer lost all track of everything but the vision before him. Time seemed frozen, stopped right at that moment. He wondered if he had strayed into a dream, and feared waking up.

After what seemed like eternity, the nymph rose out of the water. She stood for a moment, looking back out to the sea. At last she turned back to the trees and headed toward the palace. Éomer ducked behind a tree, but still she stopped. She gazed into the dark mass of trees.

Éomer couldn't help but watch her. Then he realized his mistake. Her golden green eyes met his and widened slightly. He flushed and chewed on his lip. The shock faded from her eyes and was replaced with something Éomer couldn't place. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly and she smiled softly. Her eyes twinkled and then she was gone.

The breeze rustled the leaves. The waves swept onto the shore. The moon shimmered on the white sand. The stars glittered and danced in the heavens. The sea nymph had disappeared into the shadows and Éomer slowly began to awaken from his dream-like state. He looked back to the beach before he headed back to the palace. The waves glided up the shoreline. They looked as if they were dancing along the beach.

Dancing like the stars in her eyes.


	2. Sunlight and Strange Proposals

**Author's Name:** Dae'kyra

**Story Title:** Awake in a Dream

**Characters/Pairs:** Éomer/Lothíriel and unimportant people like Imrahil...erm...I mean...(just kidding)

**Rating:** PG

**Disclaimer:** This is _FanFiction. _I obviously own nothing...except maybe the idea for the story. The song _Awake in a Dream_ belongs to Kalan Porter.

**Summary:** While in Dol Amroth, Éomer encounters a vision. Is it fantasy or reality?

**A/N: ** You know, this was supposed to be a one-shot, but I got a few different people asking for a continuation. So I decided, 'what the heck', and here is chapter two of a probably three part series. I warn you, though, I'm not very good at writing long stories. I'm better at one-shot little things. And now on with the show...

The cry of a gull mingled with the faint sound of the waves on the beach. Sunlight streamed through an open window. The room held only a single occupant, a fact made known by a groan from the bed.

Forcing his sleep-laden eyes open, Éomer blinked at his surroundings.

_Where in Middle-Earth am I?_ He wondered, groggily.

He shifted in the bed, the dust dancing in the sunlight. _Dancing light...no, a different light...moonlight..._

With a rush the events of the previous day and night came back to him. He had followed a shadow...the sea nymph...the swim...her eyes. He blinked. Maybe the sea air was getting to him. It had to have been a dream. But, no, there on the chair lay the cloak. She had left it abandoned on the sand and he retrieved it after she had gone. Maybe somehow he could find her and return it.

Éomer shook his head. There was no way he would be able to find her again. She was gone, leaving her cloak and an imprint on his memory.

He stretched and flung back the covers, shivering slightly. He dressed quickly, making sure that the clothes were respectable enough - he had had much grief from Éowyn on the matter, and he still wasn't used to dressing in such finery.

_"But you are the king! You can't go around wearing dusty old armor or clothes not even fit for the stable boy. _

_Really Éomer, this is going to have to get through that thick skull of yours sooner rather than later. I only have a month left in Edoras and believe me, I will not leave you like this." _

His sister was adamant and very soon he found himself spending a lot of time with the seamstress. Éowyn had been shocked at the very few "appropriate" clothes that he possessed.

_"What you would have done if there had be need of them, I don't know"_

He had argued that Rohan hadn't exactly been the hub of social activity lately. Éowyn just gave him a withering stare and he shut up.

Dressed, Éomer looked at the cloak. He picked it up, fingering the intricate embroidery. Sighing, he placed it back on the chair. He would figure out what to do with it later.

After breakfast in his room, Éomer walked the hallways of the palace for the second time. Prince Imrahil requested his presence in his study. Happy to comply, but a little edgy as to the nature of such a request, the king found himself being shown to the Prince's personal study.

"Ah, my lord Éomer. I am honored to have you here." Imrahil motioned to a chair. "Please, have a seat. Can I offer you something to drink?"

Éomer shook his head. "Thank you, no I'm fine."

The two men spent some time catching up and exchanging news. Éomer told some of his more interesting stories as a new king, sending the prince into fit laughter.

Finally they became silent, all topics run out. Well, all topics except for the one that had brought him here.

After a minute Prince Imrahil spoke. "I suppose you are wondering as to the nature of this requested visit."

Éomer was silent, letting the prince speak.

"Well, the truth is that I am trying to settle some things. Now, I have to say that I'm not getting any younger and I would like some things done before I leave this earth." He held up his hand, stopping Éomer's protests.

"Please, let me finish. I am still strong enough to wield a sword and as long as breath is in me, I will continue to serve my king. Don't give up on me yet." He smiled. "The fact of the matter is just two years ago, I wasn't sure if I would be coming home and I realized that there were some things that I had left unfinished. My sons are able men and my eldest is equipped to take the throne, when I die.

Imrahil leaned forward and rested his hands on the wooden desk in front of him.

"But therein lies the problem. I have been so busy with my sons and the war that I have not been able to provide for my daughter. She had to run the city alone while I and her brothers were gone."

Éomer blinked. Imrahil had a daughter? He vaguely remembered something about a daughter while talking in Minas Tirith after the fall of Barad-Dur. He then realized that the prince was still speaking.

"...and so that is the reason I asked you here."

Éomer winced. "Pardon my lord, but what did you say?"

"I would have you take my daughter, Lothíriel, as a wife and forge an alliance between our two lands. You are my friend, Éomer, and I have thought long and hard about this. I would give her no one else I trust more." Imrahil finished, resting his chin on his hands.

The room seemed to close in on him. Éomer paled and swallowed hard. His honor and friendship with Imrahil was at stake.

"My lord, would it be ungracious to ask for a few days to think about this? Maybe even meet and talk with you daughter? I feel that this is too important to give a hasty answer." He asked, praying desperately that Imrahil would not be offended.

Imrahil opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off by a knock from the door. It opened and Éomer caught sight of a blue skirt and dark hair.

"Ah, yes my dear. We were just talking about you. What do you need?"

The girl lifted her head as she stepped forward.

"My pardons, Ada, but Mistress Dorwithen wishes to know if you would have your afternoon meal here or in the dining hall."

"Tell her we will eat in the dining hall as usual. Thank you, Lothíriel."

She turned, gave a little grin to Éomer, and left the room.

He had sat in stunned disbelief, during their whole exchange. When she had lifted her head and looked his way...those eyes sparkled back at him. The same eyes that had entranced him under the moon.

He heard Imrahil give his time to think about his proposal and quickly found to excuse himself after that. Back in his room, he paced the floor, the forgotten cloak in his hand. His mind could only focus on one thing.

His sea-nymph had a name. Lothíriel.


End file.
